‘Outside Haus’…

JD Howell, Prez.In a former life, I spent ten years in the bicycle retail market at Orange Cycle in Orlando, FL. Simultaneously, I peddled Exceed Sports Nutritionals to independent bike dealers, running stores, and out the back of my Burley Trailer. I also sponsored regional racing events and provided product to co-riders, co-workers, event support and teammates for my road and offroad teams.

Following that lifetime, I became involved in national sales management with three different companies related to the power quality industry and then cycling. This led to subsequent career reaches into sales of Solar Renewables, and most recently, the Electric Vehicle Project, and my sales agency, pimping other people’s products. Having worked closely with several independent reps during my cycling period, I developed an itch that has lasted for nearly twenty years. And in April, 2012 – I finally made the attempt and 18 months later, pulled the plug. Cash out to cash in, didn’t compute !

When my wife and I moved to Eugene, Oregon in 2007, we recognized the opportunity to live in a place that supported an outdoor lifestyle. I soon realized we’d arrived in a cycling mecca, surrounded by some of the most beautiful trails and roads on earth. We felt at home. We bought a house. As such, I wanted to be outside, making my living.

It nearly happened when I launched ‘Outside Haus’. Since closing the doors on my sales agency in October of 2013, I’ve been toying with ‘what to do’. Since then, I’ve been putting ideas to paper, while she became a Principal at her Architecture firm. In February of 2015 I began putting together the tools to outfit a ‘Tiny Workshop’ in a converted garden shed, which I hope to dub the new, official, Outside Haus.

To get there, I have to Step Outside. And the hope is, to develop and hand-build, great outdoor gear…